Mound City and Eastern Railway
Encyclopedia
The Mound City and Eastern Railway was a small, short-lived railroad that operated in McPherson County, South Dakota
. The railroad was conceived in the early twentieth century as part of a plan to provide rail access to the small town of Mound City, South Dakota
. The projected route of the railway extended eastward from Mound City
to the town of Leola, South Dakota
, where a connection could be made with the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway
.
Work on the Mound City & Eastern began in 1929, when 18 miles of trackage were completed running northwest from Leola
to the new townsite of Long Lake
. Financial difficulties ended work at Long Lake
, however, and the remainder of the line was never built. Initially, the company operated conventional train
s pulled by steam locomotive
s, but by the 1930s limited financial resources and a lack of traffic forced the railroad to resort to "a curious gasoline engine contraption capable of dragging five or six cars over spindly former interurban rail, making two or three trips a week except in winter, when the road frequently shut down."
The Mound City & Eastern was abandoned in 1940. Substantial portions of the old railway grade remain evident today.
McPherson County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,904 people, 1,227 households, and 822 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile . There were 1,465 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile...
. The railroad was conceived in the early twentieth century as part of a plan to provide rail access to the small town of Mound City, South Dakota
Mound City, South Dakota
Mound City is a town in Campbell County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 71 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Campbell County.-Geography:Mound City is located at ....
. The projected route of the railway extended eastward from Mound City
Mound City, South Dakota
Mound City is a town in Campbell County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 71 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Campbell County.-Geography:Mound City is located at ....
to the town of Leola, South Dakota
Leola, South Dakota
Leola is a city in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 457 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of McPherson County.-Geography:Leola is located at ....
, where a connection could be made with the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway
Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway
The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway was an American Class I railroad that built and operated lines radiating south and west from Minneapolis, Minnesota which existed for 90 years from 1870 to 1960....
.
Work on the Mound City & Eastern began in 1929, when 18 miles of trackage were completed running northwest from Leola
Leola, South Dakota
Leola is a city in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 457 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of McPherson County.-Geography:Leola is located at ....
to the new townsite of Long Lake
Long Lake, South Dakota
Long Lake is a town in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 31 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Long Lake is located at ....
. Financial difficulties ended work at Long Lake
Long Lake, South Dakota
Long Lake is a town in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 31 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Long Lake is located at ....
, however, and the remainder of the line was never built. Initially, the company operated conventional train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s pulled by steam locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s, but by the 1930s limited financial resources and a lack of traffic forced the railroad to resort to "a curious gasoline engine contraption capable of dragging five or six cars over spindly former interurban rail, making two or three trips a week except in winter, when the road frequently shut down."
The Mound City & Eastern was abandoned in 1940. Substantial portions of the old railway grade remain evident today.